Daily Reflections, Thursday, March 1, 2007

Todays Scripture:  1 Corinthians 2:1-2
Todays Quote: Let the fact of what our Lord suffered for you grip you, and you will never again be the same.—Oliver B. Greene
One day, a professor brought a one gallon bucket in front of his class. He proceeded to fill it to the top with large stones. He asked his students, “Is this full?” Oblivious to the direction he was heading, the students gave mixed answers, some yes, and some no. The professor followed with the same question as he took gravel, sand, and water, pouring it all over the rocks to fill the bucket. Finally, he asked the students, “What am I trying to teach you?” Someone responded, “To put the big things first.” And they were absolutely right.
Each ingredient was necessary to fill the bucket, but the significance of each had to be considered for a perfect fit. If smaller ingredients were added first, there would be insufficient room for the larger items.
The gospel message is the main component in the “bucket” of Christianity. This is the basis of our lives. Upon this all else in life should rest.
When the gospel no longer takes precedence, we will have a church without Christ, service without standards, music without a message, and preaching without a purpose.
We must put first things first. We need to understand what the Word of God says about salvation—either all by grace or all by works. Our understanding of the gospel will influence every aspect of our lives. Let’s get back to the basics today.